Jorge Lorenzo has conceded he faces an uphill battle to make an early impact on the 2011 MotoGP championship judged by the way Honda have eclipsed his Yamaha team in pre-season testing.
Lorenzo and Yamaha barely made a false move last year, the 23-year-old wrapping up his first world MotoGP title in Malaysia, with three races of the season to go.
He celebrated his crown with victory in the closing leg at Valencia to take his tally of wins to nine with a record points haul of 383, breaking Valentino Rossi’s previous benchmark of 373.
The reigning MotoGP champion appears to have every justification in feeling pessimistic, with Honda topping the times in each of the eight testing sessions at Sepang in Malaysia and then in Qatar last weekend.
Lorenzo issued his warning ahead of tomorrow’s 2011 season-opening race under floodlights at Losail, admitting that Yamaha need to improve.
“We are not at our best moment, with the setting,” he told a press conference at the circuit where Rossi, seeking an eighth title in the main division, emerged the winner 12 months ago.
He added: “We need improvements in the bike to be competitive and I know we can be faster than in the test.
“To be honest, the rivals have improved a lot and Yamaha hasn’t, not a lot. At the moment, we not only have a problem with the maximum potential, but with the set-up. I am sure we can improve and then be closer.”
Honda’s new recruit Casey Stoner dominated the final testing session, and the Australian is one of the favourites to get his 2011 campaign off to a flying start on a circuit where he won three times.
“I couldn’t have asked for any more from pre-season,” beamed Stoner.
The 2007 champion refused however to get carried away with his bike’s pre-season dominance.
“The tests were very productive and at the moment everything is going very well. However, testing and racing are two very different things,” Stoner said.
Lorenzo’s compatriot, Dani Pedrosa, is out to go one better after filling the runner-up spot in 2010, and for once he is approaching the opening race fighting fit.
“Almost every year I’ve had an issue with fitness, but this pre-season has gone quite well,” he said
“So this is a big step compared to previous years. We made some improvements and have done some good testing, now I hope we can continue this against our rivals on track.”
Ducati new boy Rossi’s title hopes last season were handed what turned out to be a fatal blow when he broke his leg in qualifying at Mugello – in the circumstances he performed a miracle to finish third to Lorenzo.
The 32-year-old is excited about joining Ducati, the exuberant Italian saying: “(Sunday’s first race) is like the first day at school – it’s always a great emotion to change bike.”
On the state of his battered body the rider known as ‘the doctor’ reported: “I worked all through the winter on my fitness and I think I need one to two more months before being 100 per cent.
“For the first half of the season we’ll try to do as best as we possibly can, and then push on. I think we’re better than 13th (Qatar test position). This will be a tough race.”
MotoGP champions
2010 Lorenzo (Yamaha)
2009 Rossi (Yamaha)
2008 Rossi (Yamaha)
2007 Stoner (Ducati)
2006 Hayden (Honda)
2005 Rossi (Yamaha)
2004 Rossi (Yamaha)
2003 Rossi (Honda)
2002 Rossi (Honda)
2001 Rossi (Honda)